When I Wasn't Looking
by MaytoDecemberRomanceContest
Summary: There is a moment where when you're not looking for love, it catches you by complete surprise in the best way possible. Edward and Bella are caught up in that moment. Will they fight together to overcome all of the obstacles that stand in their way? Or will they cave to what they think they should do, ignoring what they both know they want?


Contest entry for the May to December Romance Contest

**Title**: When I Wasn't Looking

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: There is a moment where when you're not looking for love, it catches you by complete surprise in the best way possible. Edward and Bella are caught up in that moment. Will they fight together to overcome all of the obstacles that stand in their way? Or will they cave to what they think they should do, ignoring what they both know they want?

**Disclaimer**: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong>When I Wasn't Looking<strong>

"Mom," Bella attempted for the tenth time. If she could just get an opening, then she could tell her mom all about the latest article she'd edited for the college paper and how it had been picked up by an actual news agency.

Renee continued jabbering as if Bella hadn't spoken. "The decorations are absolutely fabulous and Esme is nearly floating with excitement. She cannot wait to see you. Carlisle too. He went on and on about how it's been far too long since he had a proper conversation with his god-daughter."

"Mom, while I appreciate the invite—"

"Do not for a second believe you can skip this event, Isabella Marie. Carlisle and Esme are our oldest, dearest friends and they have doted on you since the day you were born. And don't worry about being the only younger person in attendance. There will be plenty of eligible men there for you to meet."

"Mom."

"If not for dating, then for networking, Bella."

"You know I love seeing Esme and Carlisle, but—"

"This is the last we'll speak on this," Renee insisted, reaching the tone that let Bella know she would henceforth be talking to an impenetrable wall. "You will show up, participate, and be thankful you have these wonderful people in your life. Are we clear?"

Bella made a last ditch effort to prevent the night from being fully horrid. "May I extend the invite to Rosalie and Emmett?"

"Certainly. Just make sure Emmett wears a jacket and tie. And pants."

"That's implied."

"I've met him. It's not."

Bella pushed her lips together to keep from laughing in agreement—and from the image of Emmett taking his pants off after a particularly filling Thanksgiving lunch and the dismayed look that had been on her mother's face.

"Alright, my dear one, I have to get going. Your father will be home soon and we're meeting his coworkers for dinner and drinks. I love you. Keep up your grades and most importantly keep your eyes open. You never know when love will arrive."

Bella sighed in resignation. "Love you too, Mom. Give Dad a kiss for me."

She dropped her cell phone to the couch cushion beside her and stared hard at it, trying to figure out the chances of successfully getting her Wednesday night back if she pleaded her case directly to Esme. Renee was constantly exaggerating so this open house might not be a big deal at all.

"But if it is, then I'm not going to be the one to break Esme's heart," Bella said aloud. She grabbed her phone and dialed Rosalie. "How much do you love me?"

"You know those hot rocks where you walk across them and come out the other end more enlightened and shit?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, not that much." Rosalie laughed heartily at her joke. "What's up, Bee-Bee? What do you need?"

"Next Wednesday is an open house at Esme's boutique downtown and I have to attend, no excuses or exceptions allowed. Would you and Emmett please come with me?"

"The usual deal? Help you with your mother and ward off the thirsty boys?"

"Yes. You know, I wouldn't mind if I thought for a second I'd meet my type of guy."

"The twenty-three year old guy you want is already dating a guy he wants or he's with his high school sweetheart girlfriend. The single guys our age want to party and play the field because as they see it, the end of fun is looming ahead of them and it'll be time to pick a suitable wife all too soon."

Bella sighed, knowing it was true and hating it all the same. "So what do you say? I'll owe you both. Top shelf liquor and your favorite take-out food."

"Done," Rosalie enthusiastically agreed. "Dress code?"

"Jacket and tie for Em and specifically mention pants and how they must remain on at all times."

"Got it. Heels for you?"

"Yeah and the dark blue dress with the lace shoulders and trim. The very second I answered the phone, my mother told me to pull it out of the closet and take it to be pressed. My promise that it has zero wrinkles was worthless as usual."

"You hate that dress."

"And my mother loves it all the more for it."

"Buck up, Bee-Bee. I'll be there and you can never have a bad time when I'm around."

"This is the one truth and constant in my life. Can't I just marry you?"

"Hmmmm … Married to you and sleeping with Emmett … I quite like the idea of Emmett as my mister."

Bella laughed with Rosalie and then the two friends said their goodbyes and got back to their nights. Bella spent the rest of hers finishing her essay, and after a hot shower she crawled into bed with hopes of drifting right off. Instead she spent a couple hours re-weighing the pros and cons of her top three internship choices before falling into a fitful sleep where her dreams were haunted by hundreds of men in tuxedos on bended knee holding out identical boxes with the same gold ring in every one of them.

'**************************************'

The ringing of his phone forced Edward to take a much needed break from grading essays. He smiled at the name on the screen. "You've been awarded an all-expenses paid romantic trip for two. Where do you go and who do you go with?"

"The where simply cannot be anywhere else but Paris, the most romantic city in the world," Esme answered. "As for the lucky man escorting me, it would most certainly be you—except for the pesky fact that I am madly in love with Carlisle."

Edward laughed. "Of course. Once again proving that all of the good women are already taken by the equally good men."

"Now, Edward, you know I don't like to hear such a defeatist attitude coming from a man as wonderful and handsome as you. Your someone is out there and you'll find her when you least expect it, probably when you're not even looking."

He highly doubted that but knew it would do no good to say so; Esme was a hopeless romantic. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your open house instead of making predictions about my love life?"

"Hmmn ... Both are equally entertaining," Esme teased. "However, I do actually need something from you for tonight. May I please, please borrow the antique bronze swan bookends I sold you last fall?"

"Of course. But you'll have to swing by the house and pick them up. The key is still in the same place. Oh and double check that the gate closes behind you. The latch has been giving me trouble. I'd offer to bring the bookends to you but I've got that meeting with Jasper."

"How _is_ the manuscript going?"

"Slowly. I have an idea of the tone I want but so far everything I commit to paper falls far short."

"I'm sure it's just a matter of nerves. Take a few days away from the entire thing. Go outside and talk a long walk. Let your mind wander while your eyes take in the beauty. When you return to it, I'm sure you'll find it much easier to move forward."

"I'll give it a try."

"You do that. I'm going to rush off now. I have swans to collect and a dress to squeeze into."

"See you tonight, Gorgeous Lady."

"Don't be late, you big flirt."

"I won't," he promised. He looked at the time on his phone while ending the call and realized it was much later than he'd thought. He quickly gathered his things and left. He couldn't afford to be late for his meeting, not with the way Jasper was punctually anal.

Edward managed to arrive at his friend's publishing office with a whole four minutes to spare. Jasper didn't see it that way. "You're late again."

"Only by your standards."

"Which are the ones that count."

"Jasper, how is it we've managed to stay friends for so many years?"

"My monochrome vision is a compliment to your ability to see all the colors in the rainbow. Now that we have that out of the way, where are you at with the first chapter?"

"Nowhere, honestly. I was talking to Esme about it earlier and she suggested my perpetually blank page might be from how much I care about doing this project the right way."

"I agree with her. Also, it's my duty as your friend to remind you that I told you the schedule you had created for yourself was too rigid and short. You are a dreamer with a perfectionist streak that rivals my own. You require freedom, not walls."

"How do we fix this then? I don't want to cause delays for you with all you've got going on."

"Let's agree to put a pin in the due date of the first two chapters. Whenever you get them to me, you get them to me. This way, I can focus on those projects nearing completion. And on finding an assistant who can actually assist me."

"Still no luck?"

"Do you know I had an interviewer yesterday who told me he couldn't accept a yearly salary of anything less than sixty thousand dollars? Do you have any idea how long it took me before I ever made sixty thousand dollars? The youth of today want it all now. They lack any form of a work ethic."

"Come on, Jasper. You can't make a blanket statement like that based off of a small group. I see plenty of students who are just going through the motions but I also see many who are working like crazy to achieve their goals. It's an issue of dedication, not of age. All you have to do is look at my life for proof of that."

"You're right. Older is most definitely not always wiser." Jasper reached for a folder on his desk and opened it up. "While I've got you here, I'm going to pick your brain. Let's start with your stance on supernatural romance. Creepy stalker vibe or the only way to find a dedicated life partner?"

'**************************************'

On the ride to Esme's, Bella attempted to share her pro-con list of internship choices but Emmett commandeered the conversation and demanded an explanation for how anyone could find the end of the book _Gone Girl_ fitting.

He was still confused fifteen minutes later when the Town Car pulled up in front of Esme's boutique. "He may have been screwed up in his own way but he never _killed_ anyone," Emmett argued while helping the ladies out of the vehicle and onto the crowded sidewalk.

Bella countered by saying, "It could be argued that he killed the emotional piece of Amy when she attempted to show her true self and he immediately rejected her. He caused the fracture in her psyche which allowed her to become unemotional and capable of calculated murder."

Emmett opened his mouth to argue but then reached for the boutique's door instead. "To be continued after I wrap my mind around that very scary perspective," he said as he waved Bella inside.

She entered the store and then immediately turned back to let Emmett know she disagreed with his choice of "scary" as a descriptor for her argument. Instead of seeing Emmett, her field of vision was composed of a broad chest covered in a dark blue button up with a black tie and grey suit jacket.

"Excuse me." The voice was deep and smooth and didn't sound the least bit put out that she'd nearly run him over.

"My fault entirely," Bella said as she lifted her head to get a look at the owner of the voice.

Broad shoulders went well with the broad chest, as did the muscular arms visible from the fitted cut of the jacket. The chin was well-defined, strong, and covered by a short beard that had to have been groomed to its current state of perfection—chins like that were just not natural. The lips were full and almost too pretty for a man. The nose … noses tended to just be noses. But the eyes! The eyes were worthy of all the dreamy prose of the most prolific poets. A shade of green that couldn't be named, with flecks of amber and the power to root a person to a spot and render them oblivious to all else.

She blinked and when she took a second look at those amazing eyes, she noticed the lines at the corners. That made her refocus on his entire face and her heart sank as she realized this was not a potential date but a real adult whose way she was blocking. Probably a married man who had dropped his wife at the door and then gone on to park the car and was now being delayed from reuniting with her.

"Sorry," she said as she forced her feet to behave and move her body out of his way.

"No problem at all," he assured her, favoring her with a smile that she could almost believe was genuine.

"So you're the hold-up at the door," Rosalie said to Bella once the man made it completely through the doorway.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Did you nearly run him over?" she asked with a coy smile that screamed she already knew the answer.

"Yes."

"He was Ben Affleck handsome. Out of your age range for sure, but damn fine all the same."

Bella didn't get a chance to respond. She'd been spotted upon entry and her mother had already pounced. Renee proceeded to smooth out imaginary wrinkles in Bella's dress and adjust her belt. Her mother also tried to change the way her hair rested on her shoulders but there really was no place else for it to go.

Renee huffed and pursed her lips. "Why isn't your hair in a bun?"

"I don't like my hair in a bun." Self-preservation kept her from adding a rough estimate of just how many times in her life she'd told her mother she didn't like buns.

"It's not about what you like. It's about what compliments the dress and having your hair limply laying here is blocking the beautiful lace pattern from view."

"Renee, may I?" Rosalie asked, holding out a silver hair clip for inspection.

"It certainly couldn't hurt."

Rosalie pulled Bella's hair toward the back of her head and secured it in the clip, leaving her shoulders visible and her chestnut hair falling right down the middle of her back.

"Rosalie, I simply do not know what Bella would do without you. At least one of you understands the importance of being prepared for any situation."

"There's my sunshine!" Carlisle called, opening his arms to Bella and saving her from yet another lecture on why she should be more like her best friend.

"Carlisle, I'm so happy to see you," Bella said honestly from inside the warmth and safety of his embrace.

"You looked like you could use a rescue," he whispered, leading her over to Esme and the group of women surrounding her. "Excuse me for the interruption ladies but I have a special guest here that Esme has been anxiously awaiting."

"Sunshine!" Esme exclaimed, hugging Bella tight enough to make it hard for her to breathe. Before she could protest, Esme had already let her go and was spinning her in a circle. "Look at it, sweetheart. Isn't it _wonderful_?"

"It certainly is," Bella agreed, having only seen flashes since her main focus had been staying upright while being forcefully turned in heels.

Another insanely tight hug accompanied Esme's excited words. "I hope you won't be too bored but I am just so happy and thankful that you're here."

"I could never be bored with you and Carlisle around," Bella replied, mostly being honest. "But just in case, Rosalie and Emmett are here with me so just focus on your open house. From the look of the crowd, it seems to be going very well."

"Better than I expected," Esme confided. She quickly added "knock on wood" and did just that, rapping her knuckles against a small wooden table with a circular top.

Rosalie and Emmett walked over and after a round of hugs with Esme, they were able to pry Bella loose and the three of them headed for the bar that had been set up along the back wall of the store. They had just enough time to order and receive their drinks before Renee ambushed them and began pulling them from one group to another, introducing them with "this is my daughter Bella I was telling you about, and her friends". Bella wondered what her mother was telling people about her but she was too afraid to ask.

Eventually, Renee allowed Bella to return to Carlisle and Esme's circle—a group that now included the handsome gentleman she'd nearly stepped on earlier.

"Bella!" Carlisle greeted, giving her a one-armed hug and kiss to her cheek. "Took you long enough to make it back to us."

"It wasn't for a lack of trying," she promised.

"Edward, this is my god-daughter Bella that I was telling you about." Bella cringed at hearing that phrase again, though she knew Carlisle would never mean it in the same way her mother always did.

The handsome man from before offered his hand to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

She meant to reply but she was caught off guard by the rush of heat she felt at the press of his hand against hers.

Edward thankfully carried on the conversation. "Carlisle mentioned you work for the paper at your university."

"Recently promoted to head copy writer," Carlisle provided.

"I've been lucky," Bella replied with true modesty. She believed in her skills but knew she still had a lot to learn.

"Don't listen to her, Edward. It's talent, I tell you. Her newest article was picked up by a major news agency."

"Carlisle, please—" Bella was saved from having to beg him to stop by Esme pulling him away to explain the history behind an armoire on the opposite side of the store.

Edward leaned in to Bella and she found herself staring right into those remarkable green eyes of his. "I better warn you before he comes back, he's carrying a copy of the article and forcing everyone to read it. He's given it to me twice already."

Bella gasped. "Oh no. No, no, no. Rosalie!"

Rosalie was nowhere in sight. Bella wasn't even sure when she'd lost her—she'd been distracted with observing Edward's hand wrapped around his drink and the distinct lack of a wedding ring. Though for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why she would notice such a thing.

Edward gently rested his hand on Bella's shoulder, his expression one of true concern. "I apologize for upsetting you. Honestly, you should be thrilled Carlisle thinks so highly of you. He's a hard man to impress."

Rosalie finally appeared, carrying a drink in each of her hands. "Bella, we brought you a fresh drink. We thought you could use it after that whirlwind tour your mom took us on." She finally noticed Edward and shamelessly did a double-take. "Hello."

"Rosalie, this is Edward, a friend of Carlisle's," Bella introduced. "Edward, this is my best friend Rosalie."

"Nice to meet you, Rosalie," Edward said as he shook her hand.

"You too."

Bella had been sipping at her drink while they'd exchanged greetings and now that she was slightly calmer, she remembered exactly what had wound her up in the first place. "Rosalie, I have a mission for you."

"Uh oh. Using your official tone of utmost importance. What's up?"

"Carlisle is carrying around a clipping of the article."

"So?"

"So he's acting like it's _my_ article as if I wrote it. I just fixed a few parts. He's showing it to everyone. You have to get it from him. You have to stop the madness."

"I disagree," Edward interrupted. "While you may not have written it, you still played a vital role in its success. Without proper editing for a clear message, a story is just words on a page. Don't sell yourself short."

"Edward, I like you," Rosalie stated with a serious tone and genuine smile. "Listen to the gentleman, Bee-Bee. You worked hard on that piece and you should be acknowledged for it."

"Bee-Bee?" Edward questioned.

Rosalie grinned, always happy to share the reason behind the nickname. "Ever shot a BB Gun, Edward?"

"A few times."

"Then you recall that the more you pump it up, the faster the BB travels and the harder the resulting impact. That's our Bella. Get her pumped up and there's no stopping her until she hits a wall." Rosalie slung her arm around Bella and smiled proudly. "The wall usually comes down when she's done."

"Determined and passionate," he said, looking only at Bella. "Those are great qualities to have," he added.

"Renee alert," Emmett warned as he slipped his arm around Rosalie's waist. "Bella, head right and then hang your first left. You'll find a chair in an empty corner. We'll throw Renee off your scent."

"Thanks, Emmett, but it'll be okay," Bella assured him. "I'll tell her I'm networking with Carlisle's friend. That should give me another fifteen minutes and by then we'll be free to leave for our dinner reservation."

"Bella, I've been looking for you everywhere," Renee said, locking her arm with Bella's.

"Great timing, Mom," Bella replied with believable excitement. "I'd like to introduce you to one of Carlisle and Esme's close friends. This is—" Bella blanked, realizing she had no idea what Edward's last name was, a cardinal social sin in her mother's eyes.

Luckily, Edward stepped in and resolved her dilemma by offering his hand and sharing his name. "Edward Cullen."

She smiled and shook his hand. "Renee Swan."

"Mrs. Swan, I hope you'll forgive me for monopolizing Bella's attention. Once Carlisle shared Bella's article and that it was picked up by a large news agency, I simply had to find out more about her ambitions. A good friend of mine has been searching for a publishing assistant and I was hoping to vet Bella on his behalf before bringing her name to him. The position is really more of an internship so the pay isn't much, but an enthusiastic reference from him carries a great deal of weight."

Renee was so impressed and pleased with Edward that she unhooked her arm from Bella's and gave her blessing for Bella to stay and continue her "very important networking". Those words truly came out of Renee Swan's mouth in reference to her daughter's career.

As soon as Renee was out of hearing range, Emmett congratulated Edward on a job well done. "That was smooth, man. You had Renee eating out of the palm of your hand and she doesn't like anybody."

"Emmett, that's not true," Bella argued, afraid Edward would leave with a bad impression of her mother. Renee was overbearing but her intentions were pure—she loved her daughter with all of her heart and wanted the best for her.

"Em, Renee likes you, she's just also confused by you. This is what comes of taking your pants off in front of her dinner guests."

"One time. I did that one time," he argued.

Rosalie gave him a commiserating smile as she rubbed his neck soothingly. "Sorry, but that's all it takes with Renee."

"Mr. Cullen—" was as far as Bella got before Edward cut her off.

"Mr. Cullen is my father. I'm still Edward. Although, full disclosure, he's also an Edward."

She appreciated his willingness to let her continue using his first name as if they were equals. "Edward, were you by chance at all serious about your publishing friend needing an assistant? I only ask because I'm an intern in need of an internship, completely willing to start at the bottom and work my way up."

"I'm not sure if this position would be the right fit for you. The books he publishes are mostly young adult fiction and you seem the type to prefer the classics."

She could understand his concern—she also had the perfect rebuttal for it. "A meticulously edited young adult novel has the potential to grow into a classic."

"Edward!" Carlisle called from across the room. "I need your assistance."

"Be right there," Edward assured him. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a card and a pen. After writing something onto the back of the card, he handed it to Bella. "If you're serious about pursuing the position, call me and we'll set up a meeting to discuss it further. If I'm not in my office, try my cell."

"Absolutely. Thank you, Edward," Bella said as she vigorously shook his hand. "Thank you."

"I haven't done anything yet." He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against the back of it. "Truly a pleasure to have met you." And then he was gone, lost in the crowd and presumably on his way to help Carlisle.

Bella beamed, delighted by the prospect of a job at an actual publishing house.

"Look at you!" Rosalie cheered, bumping her hip against Bella's. "You flipped a fake networking into a real one and might even have yourself a fourth choice for your internship."

"Yeah, look at that," Bella said, feeling truly proud of herself for speaking up and asking if the offer was real. Based on past experiences, she typically would have assumed it wasn't and been thankful for the help. She finally looked at the card Edward had given her and laughed when she saw his profession. She tilted the card for Rosalie to see it.

"Edward Cullen, Professor of Classic Literature. Well that explains how he knows a book publisher."

"Think he's got books of his own?" Emmett questioned.

"Bella can research him and find out." Rosalie quickly added, "But after dinner. I am starving and ready to say our goodbyes."

"I think this may just be our most successful attendance of a true adult function," Bella shared as they made their way to Renee and Charlie at the front of the store.

Renee was so pleased with Bella's participation tonight that she didn't even attempt to keep her any longer. Her parents hugged and kissed her and then wished her a goodnight. Bella didn't question it—she got while the getting was good and headed off to dinner with her friends. Esme and Carlisle would understand her need to rush off without saying goodbye to them. And just to make sure, she'd call them tomorrow and invite them to lunch, just the three of them.

'**************************************'

Bella leaned back against the booth, enjoying the sensation of being completely full. She glanced down at her purse and the business card lying on top it. She'd put it away half a dozen times just to take it out again, unable to resist its siren call. This could be the first step toward the career of her dreams.

It was too soon to call. Of course it was too soon to call.

Then again, calling so soon showed enthusiasm.

No, too soon. She'd call tomorrow. First thing in the morning.

Bella found herself tucking the card into her purse and taking it with her as she stood. "I'll be right back," she announced, only partially heard by her food-focused friends.

She headed toward the restrooms but then took a left when she should have taken a right and went out the front door. She walked out of sight of the restaurant's windows and pulled her phone and the card from her purse.

She had been prepared to leave a message so it took her a second to react when Edward answered. "Hi. Edward. This is Bella Swan. You met me earlier at Esme's boutique. In fact, I hope I'm not interrupting your enjoyment of her open house."

"I remember you and you're definitely not interrupting."

She wasn't sure why but his words made her smile. "I promise not to keep you. I'm very intrigued by the internship position and I was hoping to nail down a time and place to discuss it with you."

"Are you still in the downtown area?"

"Yes."

"What would you say to drinks at Hempstocks?"

Bella hesitated, not sure drinks with a virtual stranger was a good idea. Then again, this man was a friend of Carlisle's and she thoroughly trusted his judgment. Then there was the biggest reason for going—finding out for absolute sure if Edward truly had the ability to help her land a job at an established publishing house.

"I would say yes, absolutely."

"Then I'll see you shortly, Bella."

She smiled as she tucked her phone into her purse, pleased with herself for directly pursuing this lead rather than pro-conning it relentlessly like usual. She felt good about this—excited even! Social gatherings tended to put her on edge, zapping all the fun out of them, but tonight she felt exhilarated by her excitement.

She headed inside to let her friends know she would be leaving them.

They were busy decimating a large cheesecake slice together. "Bella, your face is all flushed," Rosalie commented. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm great, I swear. But I am going to ditch you guys and head out."

Emmett put down his fork and focused his full attention on her. "Head out where?"

"Hempstocks."

Rosalie and Emmett looked at each other and then back to her, with Rosalie asking the question both of them were thinking. "Why on earth would you go there? That's for serious adults."

"It's where I'm meeting Edward to discuss the internship."

"Do you trust him?" Emmett questioned.

Bella shrugged. "Carlisle trusts him. That's good enough for me."

Rosalie smiled. "Alright, Bee-Bee. Go be a serious adult. But text me when you get there, when you leave, and when you are standing safe and sound inside of your locked apartment."

They all got to their feet and after trading hugs and kisses, Bella headed off for her meeting.

'**************************************'

Edward smiled as he tucked his phone into his jacket. He had just been wishing he'd had more time to talk with Carlisle's god-daughter and low and behold she'd called his phone. In the brief time they'd spent together, Edward had found Bella to be charismatic, intelligent, humble, and driven. Carlisle had told him many times how bright she was and how mature, but Edward had never expected her to be on par with colleagues his own age.

The one thing Carlisle had left out was Bella's beauty. She had a classic beauty much like Esme, and the ability to make a man laugh or weep with a curve of her lips. From her reaction to Carlisle's bragging, she would also be the type to doubt the power she wielded over the opposite sex. She'd certainly had his attention tonight. That was a dangerous thought to have about her but the truth of it made it hard to ignore.

He brushed away what he considered to be an errant thought, assuring himself this meet-up was strictly business. He had no idea he was deluding himself, completely unware of the fast pace he was striding at, rushed forward by his intrigue and excitement.

He arrived moments before Bella and upon spotting him she paused to send a message to someone. He figured she was checking in with the friends he'd met earlier, a smart move regardless of the fact that he was Carlisle's friend. It was a level of responsible he didn't often see in the twenty-somethings he came across. He had the thought again that Bella seemed closer to his age in her behaviors.

With her phone put away, Bella gifted him with a dazzling smile he found wholly irresistible. He was already leaning in and aiming for her cheek before he realized what he was doing. "Bella," he said in greeting, hoping she hadn't heard the crack in his voice. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so attracted to a woman that the most fleeting of touches could set his entire body on edge.

The color in her cheeks darkened but her smile made him doubt it was embarrassment she was feeling. "Thank you for allowing me to take up more of your time tonight, Edward," she said as they entered the bar together, his hand at her lower back guiding her through the crowd. She probably viewed his touch as gentlemanly; he wondered how she would react if she knew his thoughts were far from it.

The universe was clearly out to destroy him tonight because while he had been reminding himself that this young woman was his close friends' god-daughter and off-limits, it had been ensuring every single table was full, leaving only two bar stools at the far end of the room in a semi-secluded spot.

Edward needed something to take the edge off and figured a stiff drink was his best bet. He waved over a bartender and proceeded to order a McKenna on ice, a brand of bourbon he'd come to appreciate through his friendship with Carlisle.

"And for the lady?" the bartender asked.

"Gin martini, dry, extra olives," was Bella's request.

Edward couldn't help giving an appreciative nod to her excellent selection. He also liked how decisive she'd been with her order. He didn't care to admit it but he could be a bit of a drink snob, finding that too many people ordered drinks for the name or the color rather than for the taste.

Her lips curled into a small smile. "Were you expecting me to order something fruity?"

"I try not to expect anything from anyone. Less disappointment that way."

"That's a world view I can appreciate even if I don't agree with it. I think it's unavoidable human nature to expect to receive at least a little of what we put out into the world."

Her boldness and well-reasoned challenge to his world view impressed and amused him equally. "Hence my use of the word 'try'."

The bartender returned with their orders and they each took a moment to savor their drinks.

"Tell me, Bella, what makes you an ideal candidate for my friend's position?"

She twisted her stool so she was looking at him, unintentionally leaving her knee nowhere else to rest but against his. He knew he should adjust his own stool to provide a division but he couldn't quite bring himself to relinquish the exquisite feel of her touching him. If she had the power to make a fool through layers of clothing, what would she do to him with no barriers between them?

Edward discreetly rolled his hand into a fist, concentrating on the feel of his tense muscles to get his mind out of a place it had no right to visit.

Bella remained oblivious to his suffering. "I'm happy to tell you, but first, I'd like some assurance your friend really exists. For all I know, you were merely intervening on my behalf and are now unsure of how to end the charade."

"Charade." Edward wasn't sure what to make of her word choice. Did she really think he went around spouting made-up stories to appease mothers all over town? Or was it something deeper? Did she rarely experience a genuine interest in her life from people outside of her family and friends?

In the end he decided to stick with his personal pledge and not assume anything about her, but to just lightly tease her instead. "Not the term I would use for what amounted to an incredibly chivalrous act on my part."

Her brown eyes widened with her smile and he felt certain she had taken it as the joke he'd meant it to be. "Then you intervened on my behalf and are now unsure of how to let me down easy. You would hate to break a young woman's heart."

"I would hate that very much so it's lucky for us both that I have told no lies tonight."

Her lips twitched and then curved into that smile that made him want to kiss her. "Tonight as opposed to tomorrow night?"

He laughed to give his mouth something other to do than get him in trouble.

"Do you lie often? Or do you schedule them between classes?" she asked, clearly teasing judging by the size of her smile.

"Ah, so you did look at both sides of the card before calling me."

She gave a little half shrug. "I'm enthusiastically pursuing this position."

"My friend appreciates enthusiasm."

Bella's drink halted in mid-air and she looked at him, trapping him with the intensity of her stare. "It's time you name him, don't you think?"

Edward dropped his eyes to his own drink, unable to think of any other excuse to break free of her gaze and the thoughts it put into his wandering and increasingly insane mind.

When he looked up again, he was shocked to find her making a variety of faces. At first he'd thought something was wrong but he quickly realized she was rolling her olive around on her tongue. The unbidden vision of her flexible tongue on his body caused him to bark out a laugh at the level of madness he had reached. This was Carlisle and Esme's god-daughter and there was no way he could allow anything to happen between them no matter how fascinating and desirable he found her.

Bella reacted to his laugh with embarrassment, squeezing her eyes shut while her cheeks darkened with an alluring blush. Edward felt like an ass for his behavior and wanted to offer her some comfort. He gently rested his hand on her knee and tried to reassure her by saying, "You should never feel shame for being yourself, Bella."

She opened her eyes and watched him closely, as if she was searching for any hint of deceit on his part. Finally she relaxed and then thanked him, telling him she was over her embarrassment. There was something in her brown eyes that told him that wasn't the complete truth, not yet anyway. He figured it couldn't hurt to keep his hand on her knee as a gesture of support.

"My friend, Jasper, is very real and very much in need of a dependable and knowledgeable intern," Edward explained. "He's not expecting someone who knows everything about the publishing world, just someone who has a firm grasp of grammar rules and is willing to learn and grow."

"I find it hard to believe he's having trouble with the number of students pursuing writing and editing careers these days."

"He can find plenty of students but they don't want to work their way up. They want to start with a salary and have fixed hours. He needs someone with a flexible schedule and who is willing to trade a low salary for a hefty reference. It might also help you to know his building is about five minutes from your university."

"I want the job." Strong, confident, and sure—and something told him her decision was a measured one and not impulsive.

"You haven't met him," Edward pointed out merely to see how she would respond.

"Do you trust him to be a sufficient boss and mentor?"

"I do."

"Then I don't need to meet him to know I want the job."

Her answer shocked the hell out of him, mostly because of how pleased it made him feel. "While I'm flattered by your trust in me, I have to ask, do you normally trust people so quickly?"

"Only those Carlisle has vetted," she answered with a smile, laying her hand atop his.

The feel of her skin on his had his blood rushing southward and his internal voice chiding him for his supreme lack of willpower tonight. Not even picturing the faces of Carlisle and Esme helped—in fact they furthered his mania by reminding him that they had a ten year age difference between them.

Edward faked a yawn. "Excuse me, Bella. It appears my long day is suddenly catching up with me."

"No, it's fine. I completely understand. Don't let me keep you at all."

"How will you get home?"

"My mother rented—" She pressed her lips together and blinked slowly as if she was suddenly remembering something stressful. "There was a Town Car but it took Rosalie and Emmett home. Which means I'll be calling a cab."

The words quite literally jumped out of Edward's mouth. "Let me take you home."

"Oh no, that's okay. I've already imposed on your night enough."

"It's no trouble at all," he assured her.

"Well if you insist," she said, favoring him with a sweet smile.

The two block walk to the parking garage was absolutely excruciating for Edward. Each time he thought he had a handle on his thoughts and emotions, some part of Bella would brush against him … the soft skin of her hand, the curve of her hip, the lace shoulder of her dress. Making things so much worse was the conviction that stole over him—she was just as affected and struggling just as hard to hide it. Why else would her hands be clenching and unclenching the same as the hand he was hiding in his jacket pocket?

Things had become a little more bearable inside the car. As soon as he'd started the engine, classical music had poured out of the speakers and Bella had been delighted by it. They'd talked favorite composers, genres, songs, and lyrics. By the time they'd reached the hall outside of her front door, they'd found themselves debating the hallmarks of a truly great 80's hairband.

"So this is me," Bella said, pointing at her door with the keys in her hand. "Thank you for being a gentleman and walking me to my door even though it was completely unnecessary."

Once again, Edward's honesty outweighed his forethought. "It gave me more time to get acquainted with you."

"I hope you didn't find me boring."

"Quite the opposite. I find you irresistibly fascinating." He was standing too close. He knew it and yet he couldn't force himself to move away. His usually dependable sense of responsibility was nowhere to be seen. In its place was an attraction that bordered on reckless, growing and feeding off of the fact that she hadn't moved either.

She lifted her hand between them as if to shake his but he cupped it instead and pressed it against his wildly beating heart. Her eyes widened at the feel and then she smiled, that slight curve of the lips that was more seductive smirk than anything. The last of his willpower fled at the sight of it and he found himself backing her against her door, his other hand protecting her head while he tasted her lips. The words "delectable" and "more" rang through his head and then she began to kiss him back, opening her mouth to him, and he lost the ability to think at all. He could only feel, and right then he felt walking away from this woman just might be the hardest thing he'd ever have to do.

'**************************************'

"Talk," Rosalie ordered as she handed Bella a coffee and a bagel.

Bella set the coffee on the table and the bagel on top of it and then shifted to face her friend. "Something's wrong with me."

"What's wrong? Did you fall and hurt yourself? Did you forget to pay a bill or turn in an assignment?"

"No and I wish it was one of those things because those are simple problems with simple fixes but this is not and there is something incredibly wrong with me because I can't let it go."

"Bee-Bee, for the love of all that we hold dear in this mortal world, please start from the beginning and speak with words that make sense to someone like me who has zero clue what you're talking about."

Bella sucked in a huge breath and let it out slowly. "Last week I had drinks with Edward."

"This I am familiar with," Rosalie said with a nod. "You texted me after and said it went great."

"Which it did. The conversation was easy with us all night, even when he walked me to my door. And then it happened. The thing that shouldn't have happened but did and that I can't stop thinking about. We kissed. He started the kiss but I fully participated in the kiss and we realized it was wrong right away but the _kiss_." Bella grabbed Rosalie's hand in an effort to anchor herself to the real world and not the mad insane place her head had become. "The kiss was everything. I didn't know a kiss could feel like that. There was no fumbling to figure out where to put noses and hands. He went straight for my lips and bestowed on me the absolute best kiss of my entire life. I felt it everywhere and I do mean _every_ where. There was heat and stars and a need for more that was deeper than anything I've ever known. But I know that kiss should not have happened. I have to put it out of my head but my head is where it stays and replays and suddenly I'm touching my lips and wondering what he's doing. Which leads me to the only conclusion that makes sense—something is wrong with me."

Rosalie's eyes were unnaturally wide and Bella knew it was her way of keeping herself from bursting into laughter.

Bella sighed and waved a hand at her friend. "Just do it."

While Rosalie got all of the laughs out of her system, Bella finally got around to drinking her coffee and forcing herself to take a bite of her bagel.

"Okay, I'm ready to discuss," Rosalie announced. "Do I have your full attention?"

Bella nodded. "Please fix me."

"First of all, there's nothing to fix because there's nothing wrong with you. A handsome man—a _very_ handsome man—gave you a goodnight kiss worth remembering. Be thankful you were finally kissed by someone who knew what they were doing. Now before I impart my wisdom onto you, I have a few questions. You spent time with him at the party and at Hempstocks, which for you is plenty of time to know if you find someone interesting or not. Do you find him interesting?"

"Very much so. He can talk about books and music just as easily as he can discuss the technological advancements that are starting to alter the landscape of the publishing industry."

"Okay, so interesting is a definite. I know you find him attractive because you actually kept eye contact with him at the open house."

Bella winced. "How did you notice that? You were barely there."

"We've been best friends since the womb, Bee-Bee. It's impossible not to notice alterations in your normal disposition." Rosalie was right; their mothers were best friends who had managed to be pregnant at the same time which had predestined them to becoming best friends as well. In fact if her parents hadn't been on vacation in France, they would have absolutely been at the open house last week.

"Know what else I noticed?" Rosalie asked, using her sock-clad toe to nudge the vase full of gorgeous and fragrant red roses decorating the table.

She nodded. "A gift."

Rosalie darted forward and yanked the card out of its plastic holder, reading its message aloud. "Being such a chivalrous gentleman, I'm torn between an apology and honesty so I'll simply say Thank You and leave it to you to decide which I am."

She blushed furiously while saying, "He went with honest."

Rosalie tapped the card against her chin while eyeing Bella suspiciously. "You're leaving something out."

Bella sighed in resignation and handed over her phone. She had to sit on her hands to keep from chewing her nails while Rosalie scrolled through the many, many text messages she'd exchanged with Edward all week long. Some were completely inane with suggestions for coffee and snacks while others delved into deep topics like worldwide food shortages and rising tuition costs.

"I'm impressed," Rosalie said after putting down the phone. "I've seen a buttload of tangos in my day but none better than this one. You two sidestepped talking about that kiss so hard that you shoved it right to the forefront of your thoughts."

"_My_ thoughts," Bella corrected.

Rosalie snorted. "With as many times as this man has asked what you're eating and drinking, he is damn sure thinking about what's touching your lips."

Bella's phone started ringing and they both leaned over to see the name on the screen.

She looked at Rosalie with wide, shocked yes. "He's calling. Not texting. Why is he calling?"

Rosalie laughed and plopped the phone into Bella's hand. "Answer it and find out."

'**************************************'

"We're just friends," Edward told himself while waiting to see if Bella would answer her phone. "Not even friends so much as acquaintances."

His reason for calling was actually legitimate as opposed to the many excuses he'd used to justify the texts they'd been sharing all week long. The problem was that in addition to the meeting he needed to schedule on Jasper's behalf, he also wanted to ask her to dinner and he knew damn well that wasn't necessary. Bella didn't need to know anything about Jasper in order to impress him. She'd do it with her intelligence and passion. And yet Edward knew there was a ridiculously high chance that he wouldn't be able to refrain from asking.

He had just resigned himself to leaving a message about the meeting time Jasper had suggested when Bella answered the call. "What do you suppose is the exact ratio of cream to cheese?" she questioned.

He smiled, excited that she not only played his random topic game but seemed to truly enjoy trying to stump him. "No idea but I can tell you I prefer my cheese in cake."

"Cheesecake _is_ one of the top five desserts. But I'm betting you didn't call about a dairy product."

"I'll admit cheese was not on my mind when I made the call. I was actually calling with a date and time from Jasper. How does your schedule look tomorrow around four?"

"I'm rarely at my best and brightest at four in the morning." Even over the phone he could pick out the slight rise in her voice that came with her teasing. "However, sacrifice for my passion builds character."

"I'll tell him it's a go then."

"Thank you again so much for this, Edward. It means a lot that you would vouch for me with your friend."

"It's my pleasure. Bella, I—" He held his breath for a moment and then released it; relief and amazement washed over him that he'd actually stopped himself.

"Edward? Are you there?"

"Sorry. It's nothing."

"Those words in that particular order have implied the exact opposite for centuries."

"Alright, I'll admit I'm busted," he replied with a laugh. Just as he'd been able to pick up on her mood, she was already able to do the same with him. "I was going to ask you to dinner tonight to talk about Jasper. I thought you might benefit from knowing a few of his favorites as well as his weaknesses."

"You really want him to owe you, don't you?"

"With the intensity the desert lusts after the rain." He knew in his heart those words weren't about Jasper at all.

Bella's laugh brought him back to their conversation.

For some crazy reason, it also made him honest, though not completely. "But as I began to ask, I realized the chances of you not already having plans was infinitesimal and figured I'd save myself the embarrassment. I seem to have failed miserably though and now I'll get going and let you return to your busy day."

"No."

He blinked, uncertain he'd actually heard her say the word. "No?"

"No. You can't just rush off without asking. You presented the potentiality of the question and now you must make it a reality."

"You would really thrust upon me the heartbreaking disappointment of being turned down by you?"

"You're the only one certain there will be disappointment."

It took him a moment to get his wits about him and coax the words out of his tight throat. It was crazy the way she made him feel like a high school teen asking for his first date rather than a grown man asking for dinner. "Bella, would you allow me the honor of taking you to dinner tonight?"

"Pick me up at six-thirty?"

"Six-thirty sounds great. And now I really must go. I have a class in fifteen minutes."

"One quick question first … Are you disappointed?"

Anyone catching sight of the smile on his face at that moment would assume they were witnessing a man in love talking to his partner. "The complete opposite. Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Edward."

'**************************************'

Bella did her best to control her smile as she turned to face Rosalie. "Dinner tonight."

Rosalie chuckled. "I heard."

"We're going to talk about Jasper. I'm meeting him tomorrow to officially apply for the position."

"Bee-Bee, with the heat you two have sparking between you, I'd be surprised if dinner made it onto the menu at all. It's like the Fourth of July with you two."

"It's just dinner," Bella assured her. "It has to be. Doesn't it?"

Rosalie shrugged. "I can understand why you both would say it shouldn't happen again. He's older, Carlisle and Esme are his friends and your god-parents, his friend is in charge of your potential internship … Things could get messy."

Even though these were all truths Bella already knew, it was still disappointing to hear them from someone else.

"But!" Rosalie exclaimed, bumping Bella's shoulder and smiling wide. "This could also be good for you both. He seemed like he needed something exciting going on his life, maybe it was the stiff way he stood that night, I don't know. And _you_! You have never experienced a fling, pure fun with no strings and no expectations. You won't have to get to know his friends or him yours. You won't have to clean up after a party you didn't want to have in the first place and only hosted out of duty to your boyfriend because he won't be a boyfriend. He'll be an open-ended fun fling. Not to mention that you could benefit in so many ways from being with a guy who knows what he's doing."

"A fling?" Bella questioned, surprised by how appealing the idea sounded to her. She'd always been the type to prefer relationships to dates.

"_Fun_," Rosalie promised. "I can see you're interested. So what's it going to be, Bee-Bee? Will you dress for a completely plutonic business dinner? Or will your outfit invite him to kiss you again?"

'**************************************'

After buzzing Edward into her building, Bella checked her outfit in the hall mirror one more time. She'd gone with her flowy grey dress with its loose halter top and the rose gold belt that defined her waist. She wore a matching rose gold bracelet on her left wrist. For her shoes, she'd chosen a mix of comfort and style and wore her shimmering silver peep toe flats. By her estimation—and Rosalie's—this outfit very clearly said sophisticated woman yet fun. Bella hoped Edward would read it the same, along with the underlying message of "please kiss me again".

She watched through the peephole from him to appear and when he finally did, he turned right back around as if he was going to jump back on the elevator and hightail it out of her building. He didn't actually move though, he just stared toward the elevator for a few seconds before turning back toward her door. She hoped his struggle was the same as hers—wanting what social norms said was off-limits.

While she waited for him to either knock or leave, she surveyed his outfit. He wore a green button up with onyx buttons that complimented his black jacket. The top three buttons were open, giving a glimpse of his chest hair, and an air of casualness to his outfit that made his deep, midnight blue jeans work perfectly with his shirt and jacket.

He suddenly grew larger in the peephole and she moved away in anticipation of his knock. She slowly counted to ten in her head before opening her door.

"Wow." He looked her up and down again and still couldn't seem to come up with more the one word.

"Still not disappointed then?" she asked jokingly.

He opened his mouth but the only thing to come out of it was his tongue and it disappeared as soon as he'd wet his lips. His reaction wasn't anything she'd expected but she was certainly willing to get used to it.

"You never did say where you were taking me tonight," she mentioned as she left the doorway to get her keys and clutch from the hall table. "I'm fairly easy to please but I don't do fancy foods like duck a l'orange."

"Bella."

"Yes?" she asked, her focus on her clutch as she double-checked that she'd packed her lip gloss.

This time his voice came from right behind her. "I'm sorry that I can't be sorry."

He turned her toward him, took her face into his hands, and kissed her fervently, sending that incredible rush of heat coursing through her. She grabbed the lapels of his jacket both to keep her legs from buckling and to draw herself closer to him.

His lips left hers much too soon for her liking and she opened her eyes to find his own were clenched shut so tight it had to hurt. He sounded so pained speaking in a low, strained voice. "Tell me to leave. Tell me to go and I will. I'll apologize and go and when I'm in my right mind again I'll remember that we're mutual friends of Carlisle and Esme."

"Edward." She caressed his cheeks and was completely surprised to find she liked the slightly rough feel of his beard on her tender palm. "Look at me."

He did, momentarily mesmerizing her into complete stillness with his soulful green eyes, revealing him as needy yet restrained. She wanted to see how he looked when satisfied.

"I can't be sorry either," she admitted. Her hands reached for his jacket, taking hold of the lapels again, this time using them to pull him into her apartment.

She shut the door and locked it, then turned to face him and waited. She'd done her part and shown her interest. Now it was his turn to decide what happened next between them.

His arms enveloped her in a warm embrace and she picked up the spicy undernote of his cologne. She couldn't resist leaning in for a deeper breath of him.

With gentle force, he lifted her chin to see her face and asked, "Do you have any idea how painful it is to resist you?"

"No. I've never been wanted that much before."

"An absolute crime." His mouth settled over hers so gently that she wasn't even sure it qualified as a kiss.

His tongue teased her lips, searching for permission and entrance, both of which she gave happily. He tasted like a fine piece of dark chocolate, smooth and bold, and even though it's satisfying the want for more is nearly undeniable.

Their path through her home was marked with clothing and jewelry …

Their shoes and his jacket in the hall.

Her bracelet on the armchair with his shirt dangling off the corner of the couch.

Their belts tangled together on the tile floor of the kitchen.

The rest of their clothing littered the top of her crisply made bed.

It was on the russet brown wolf rug guarding the fireplace that they found themselves tangled together, kissing, touching, and exploring. For the first time in her life, the word "foreplay" actually meant something to her and oh how she had been missing out! The sheer number of erotic places that had existed on her body all this time, going completely undiscovered—it really was a crime. But Edward was making up for that lost time, finding and revealing one after another. Not that she hadn't found sex enjoyable before but _this_—this was pleasure with a capital, bold P.

"There's still time to change your mind," Edward murmured against her lips while positioning himself between her thighs.

"No," she said with utter sincerity. "I'm not sure there ever was."

"Before I knocked on your door, I thought about turning around and going home. I'm still not convinced it wasn't the right thing to do. But I can tell you with absolute certainty there is nowhere else I _want_ to be right now."

"You feel it too, then?" she asked, sliding her fingers through the dusting of hair over his heart. "That pull that refuses to be ignored?"

"From the moment we met."

They kissed with the unhurried passion reserved for those who are truly comfortable with each other both physically and emotionally, those who are in no hurry to be anywhere else.

"Edward, please," she urged breathlessly, needing to feel more of him, to share more with him.

He slipped into her as deeply as he could go, causing her to feel an intense stretching feeling. He moved slowly to let her adjust and then increased to powerful thrusts unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. The heat between them soon had them both sweating and she could taste the salt on his skin each time they kissed. And yet as overheated and breathless as she was, she still wanted more of him—_needed_ him like the air she was struggling to pull into her lungs.

The climax that had building between them finally erupted, and as she shook from waves of pleasure, she couldn't stop picturing a colorful display of fireworks bursting across a July Fourth sky.

"I'm damn glad I asked you to dinner," Edward whispered, nuzzling her neck with his lips.

She chuckled as she wound her arms around his back and hugged him. "Me too. Although now that you mention it, I actually am hungry. It's actually true. You _can_ build up an appetite through sex."

Edward laughed and moved to lie beside her. "You've never gotten hungry after sex before?"

"I'm really starting to wonder if what I've had qualifies as sex compared to what you and I just shared."

He laughed again, a deep, happy sound that made her smile. "You are damn good for the ego, Bella."

"That's nice, but can you focus on the actual dilemma here? You promised me dinner and I'm starving."

"I agree it's a dilemma, especially since I can't cook."

"Neither can I. But! I am a world champion at ordering dinner. How does Chinese sound? I'll do the ordering and you do the paying?"

"Sounds perfect."

She moved to sit up but he pulled her back down into his arms. "Bella, I don't want this to be a one-time thing. I want to continue getting to know you."

"I want that too," she replied with full honesty. "I know what we said before, all the reasons we listed, but, Edward, whatever does or doesn't happen between us is no one's business but ours. And right now, I want to learn everything there is to know about you." She quickly kissed him and then clamored to her feet, urged by her growling stomach to get to a phone and order food for them.

'**************************************'

"What's new?" Jasper asked as he verified the extra bacon he'd ordered had made it onto his cheeseburger.

Edward finished his mouthful of fries before replying. "Are we talking in general or with my writing?"

"Actually, I was referring to Bella."

"I thought you decided you had no knowledge since she's your assistant."

"In my office building, yes, but at lunch with my best friend, it's important that I know so I can be of help."

"The more time I spend with her, the more confident I am that she's exactly what I want in a partner. She's intelligent enough to keep up with me intellectuality, and her adventurous side brings a bit of spontaneity into my life that I'm enjoying immensely. I've never known this level of happiness and peace with my life before. In fact, I want to ask her to move in with me."

"I can hear the 'but' in that sentence."

"But there's more to consider than my feelings and hers. What about Esme and Carlisle? What about her parents? They're going to look at those fifteen years between us and judge me as a man having some mid-life crisis and taking advantage of a vulnerable young woman."

"Are you?"

"No!" Edward answered with an anger that surprised him. "Sorry, Jasper."

Jasper shrugged. "I purposefully goaded you. I wanted to judge how much thought you've given to this and now I know that you've made every attempt to consider your true motives and how others will view them."

"What's your view?"

"I've known you since college, Edward. I watched you fall in love with Tanya, marry her, and build a life with her. Unfortunately, I also had to watch her tear it apart and nearly destroy you in the process. You never came right out and said it, but I knew you thought you'd be alone for the rest of your life. If anyone deserves happiness and a lifetime love, it's you. When you're with Bella, you have it. The only question is if you're brave enough to fight for it."

"What about the friendships it might ruin?"

"You can always make new friends, but finding a woman who loves you and makes you the best version of yourself, that's a rarity only a fool would pass up."

'**************************************'

The fling was not a fling. The fling had not been a fling for so long that Bella could not pinpoint when the fling had stopped and the unnamed thing had begun. All she knew for sure was that the irregular meet-ups for mind-blowing sex had given way to daytime activities, regular dinners, numerous sleepovers, long weekend getaways, and constant mind-blowing sex. And through it all were the texts and the phone calls and the flirting and the flowers. They were always talking, just not about whatever this was between them. It was like Rosalie had said months ago—they tangoed all around it.

Rosalie plopped down beside her on the couch. "Okay, now that we have food and drinks, can you please stop being all cloak and dagger and tell me what's going on?"

Bella took a breath and then admitted a huge truth about herself. "I'm not the type of woman who can have a fling. There. I said it. I said it and that's who I am and I'm not ashamed of being me."

Rosalie chuckled. "Of course you're not the fling type. You are _the_ relationship woman. And I happen to love that about you."

Bella blinked in confusion. "But ... You told me to have a fling."

"Only to get you to forget about what you should do so you'd do what you want for once."

"Oh I did what I wanted, believe me. Many times."

Rose interrupted with a loud snort.

"I'm still doing it," Bella continued. She sucked in another huge breath and let fly the truth about her feelings for Edward. "I love Edward. I'm irrevocably and undeniably in love with him. I picture my life ten and twenty and even thirty years from now and he's right there beside me every single time. I _want_ him there."

"Finally!" Rosalie crowed. "Ooh and Emmett owes me twenty bucks."

"Finally?" Bella squeaked. "I make a heartfelt confession to you and your response is 'finally'?"

Rosalie laughed. "What have I been telling you for years and years, Bee-Bee?"

She answered while rubbing her palms against her eyes. "You've known me from the womb so you see every deviation in my patterns."

"Exactly! I might have said something had you been around but you've been ignoring your sister since the womb to spend all your time with the man you love. I mean, I guess that's technically allowed and all."

Bella was not amused by her teasing. "Not helping."

"Really the only thing I'm surprised by is that you didn't say anything sooner."

"I didn't know!" Bella yelled, not quite sure what or who she was mad at. "I thought I was just having a great time with a great man and being spontaneous. And then this morning when I was packing my overnight bag, I suddenly realized there's always an overnight bag, either mine or his. There's always been dinner together but instead of just eating takeout on the couch, more and more we dress up and go out together. And I love it, Rosalie. I love every minute I'm with him, even when we've gotten heated about a topic and we know we're at that point where we're purposefully annoying the absolute piss out of each other just because we can."

"I love that point. The sex is always amazing right after."

Bella's eyes widened as she latched onto a possible excuse for her naivety. "The sex did it. It rendered my brain incapable of seeing the pattern we were forming."

Rosalie snorted. "Okay, if that's what you want to believe. Honestly, though, I'm not as concerned with the 'when' as I am with the 'what's next'."

"I have to tell him, obviously. I'm going over there in a bit to help him reorganize his books. We're going to do genre first and then alphabetical."

"Which is sadly not a euphemism with you."

"Focus! I have a serious adult problem that requires serious adult attention. I'm not worried about telling Edward I love him because I'm pretty sure he feels the same. My problem is my parents. And Carlisle and Esme. They all still think of me as a child in need of their protection. They'll blame him and claim he's at fault since he's older and should know better. They won't want to hear how much I want this, how much I need him. And I do need him, Rosalie. I need the way he loves me and laughs for me and supports me, and the way he lets me do all of those things for him. How do I tell them and get them to really listen and not just make a snap judgment based off age alone?"

Rosalie pondered the problem over a slice of pepperoni pizza while Bella nervously gnawed on her pizza crust.

"Okay," Rosalie announced, wiping her hands with a pile of napkins. "Seems to me the best plan is to divide and conquer. Go to Esme first. She was in your shoes once, having to deal with those who thought Carlisle being a decade older was a recipe for disaster. Not to mention that she's respected by everyone else involved so she's a great backer to have in your corner. The two of you then go to Carlisle and let him get his 'not my god-daughter' bit out of his system, which he will only do because he loves you. You are the man's sunshine after all. Now once you have them both on board, the three of you sit down with your parents. Don't tell your mom who you're in love with until you've talked up all his great qualities and have her buzzing with excitement. Remind her that if she ignored the age difference, Edward would be the exact kind of man she'd pick for you. He's responsible, outgoing, intelligent, has a great job, and has a lot of social connections. Get Renee on board and Charlie will follow right after. He'll put up with society snobbery so long as he knows you're happy."

"This is good. This is a good plan."

"I do aim to please. Now pass me another slice and tell me what you plan to say to Edward."

'**************************************'

"Edward?" Bella called as she shut the heavy wooden door of his home. "The latch on the gate is broken again. It's time you admit defeat and buy new hardware."

When she didn't get a response, she headed for the bulletin board in the kitchen to see if he'd left her a note. She found one tacked right in the middle where it couldn't be missed.

_The gate latch broke (again) so I am finally listening to you and getting new hardware to replace the whole thing. Make yourself at home. I shouldn't be gone long._

She smiled and decided she would follow through on his suggestion. She went straight for his bedroom, dropped her bag at the foot of the bed, and then walked into his cavernous closet. She made a bee-line for his t-shirt drawer and pulled out his favorite university shirt. She shimmied out of her jeans, pulled her shirt off, and slipped her arms into the too-big t-shirt. She brought her discarded clothes over to her bag and then rooted through it for her sleep shorts.

Now that she was dressed comfortably, she headed for the living room to snuggle into the ridiculously comfortable oversized couch so she could watch guilty pleasure television on his sixty inch TV while she waited for him to come home. She wrapped herself up burrito style in the fleece throw he kept for her and let her mind and body relax.

She apparently got a little too relaxed because Edward was suddenly rubbing her shoulder and asking her to wake up. She smiled at him and stretched, causing the fleece to fall from her shoulders and reveal the shirt she'd swiped.

Edward tugged at the sleeve. "I see you took my note quite literally."

She laughed as she sat up. "I read that you finally took my advice but I'm going to need to see the hardware to actually believe it."

Edward reached for something on the floor and then set a bag into Bella's lap that bore the logo of the local hardware store.

"It's really real," she teased. "Do I get to help you be handy and install this thing?"

"Oh no," he said as he pried the bag away from her. "This is not going to turn into the shelf installation."

"What are you talking about? The shelf looks great!"

He held the side of his thumb out for her inspection. "One scar is plenty."

"The screwdriver jumped out of my hand," she reminded him.

He smiled and leaned in close enough to kiss her. Those amazing green eyes of his were bright with cheer and playfulness. "'Like a Mexican jumping bean'. I remember your defense quite well."

"How about my apology? Do you remember it too?"

"Fondly." He kissed her then, long and sweet and slow, as if he had nothing at all better to do than kiss her. "I brought you coffee."

"My hero."

"Come on," he said, laughing as he helped her to her feet. "It's in the kitchen."

He'd not only picked up her favorite flavor of coffee, he'd also grabbed her favorite apple Danish. It was such a simple thing, grabbing a snack for someone, but in that moment it warmed her heart to the point that she decided for once in her life she was going to fight for what she wanted rather than do what was expected.

"Edward, I have something to tell you."

"Perfect timing because I have something to ask you. Want to go first?"

"You go," she offered. It had been the slight tremor in his voice that made her decide to wait. She doubted he even knew he had it but she always picked up on it and it was always accompanied some idea or thought he was nervous to share—nervous of her reaction because for him, her opinion really did matter.

"Okay." He rubbed his hands together and then said the exact same word. And that was it. Nothing else came out of his mouth and he didn't move.

"Wow. That was absolutely riveting," she joked, hoping to ease his nerves. "Although, I'm not sure there was a question in that."

He smiled and seemed to relax a little. "We've been getting to know each other these past few months and it's been amazing. I'm not sure if you've noticed lately, but we've been spending practically every minute together. I've gotten spoiled, to the point where I don't want either of us wasting time driving and dealing with overnight bags. I know it'll mean an extra ten minute drive to your school and work, but—Bella, would you move in with me? I want you to move in with me."

She had meant to answer honestly but instead she blurted out a ridiculous question. "Is this so you don't have to wear wrinkled shirts anymore?"

His lips twitched but he didn't laugh at her. He took her coffee and set it on the counter and then held both of her hands. "I want you to move in with me because I love you and I want to share a home with you."

"You love me?" she asked, fighting the urge to scream with happiness.

"I love you," he confirmed with a gentle squeeze of her hands.

She pulled her hands away and jumped into his arms, the both of them laughing as he stumbled back against the counter. "I love you too."

"Enough to live with me?"

"Definitely enough to live with you."

The celebratory kiss they had both been looking forward to was canceled by the last voice they'd ever expected. "Edward, that latch on your gate is broken again," Carlisle announced, his footsteps echoing on the stairs that led from the front door to the living room—and gave a clear view to the kitchen.

Bella scrambled out of Edward's arms, wanting to reduce at least a little of the shock that was about to hit her god-father. Edward must have mistaken her intentions because his eyes were suddenly full of hurt. She felt torn between lessening the blow to Carlisle and reassuring Edward nothing had changed.

She chose Edward, framing his face with her hands and confessing the depth of her love for him through her kiss.

"Oops. Seems I've interrupted something," Carlisle said, sounding amused to Bella's ears. She knew that wasn't going to last once she turned around and he saw it was her.

She made sure Edward was looking at her and not her god-father. "I love you. I want to be with you."

The tense lines in his face relaxed and that hurt look in his green eyes was replaced by determination. He lifted his head and focused his attention on Carlisle. "We should talk, Carlisle."

"No need, no need. I just stopped by to drop off the antique clock you ordered from Esme. I'll just put it here on the counter and you can get back to your company. Sorry I interrupted."

Bella took a deep breath to steady herself and then turned to face her god-father. "Hi, Carlisle."

He looked between Bella and Edward as his face turned eggplant purple. "What in the hell is going on, Edward?"

Bella was the one to answer. "I was going to tell you, Carlisle. I was going to visit Esme at the store tonight and explain everything and then we would have gone together to tell you."

"Isabella, you need to get dressed. You're leaving. Now. With me."

"Carlisle, I appreciate you so much, but I'm not going with you. I'm not leaving Edward."

Carlisle's hurt was written across his face. It quickly changed to anger directed at Edward. "How could you do this? How could you take advantage of a child this way! My god-daughter!"

"Bella is many things but she is _not_ a child," Edward argued. "She's an intelligent, independent, and driven _woman_. I never set out to fall in love with her, Carlisle, but when I did, I couldn't let go. Just like you couldn't do it when it was Esme."

"Don't you dare compare this to my relationship with Esme. We had known each other for years before anything romantic ever happened."

"Did it take years to know you wanted to spend your life with her?"

Rather than answer Edward's question, Carlisle angrily shouted one of his own. "How long has this been going on behind my back?"

"We only wanted to be sure of our feelings before telling you. You know I'm not the kind of man to sneak behind your back."

"I thought I knew you. Esme and I were there for you after Tanya left. For heaven's sake, Esme found you this house after the divorce!"

"I'll always be grateful to both of you for that, but it has nothing to do with Bella."

"How do you know? How do you know this isn't more of your mid-life crisis, like the Aston Martin you bought?"

"I'm not the one who bought it!" Edward yelled.

Carlisle suddenly stopped clenching his fists.

"I said it was me because …" Edward ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Because at the time I'd thought there was a chance to save my marriage and I didn't want anyone to think badly of Tanya. I did everything to fix it, Carlisle. You know I did. But Tanya was too busy trying to act like a twenty-one year old partier than a thirty-year old wife. I needed an equal partner then and I want the same now. Bella may be fifteen years younger than me, but that doesn't make her any less my equal. And before you insult Bella or me by asking, she's not pregnant."

Carlisle said nothing.

"This is not a mid-life crisis or a good time," Edward continued. "I respect Bella too much to allow anything like that. This is real, Carlisle. I love her and I want to share my life with her."

Carlisle no longer looked angry. He looked defeated. So much so that Bella would have sworn he'd shrunk a few inches during the heated exchange. "Bella? How do you … What do you feel?"

She reached for Edward's hand and tangled her fingers with his. "I love him, Carlisle. He makes me the happiest I've ever been."

Carlisle crumpled onto the arm of the couch. "Your mother will never forgive me for this."

Bella went to him and hugged him. "There's no reason for her to be angry with you."

"I introduced the two of you."

"By that logic, it's completely Renee's fault since she demanded I go to the open house." Bella hugged him tighter. "Please be happy for me. Someone finally sees me and appreciates me for all that I am. He loves me."

"Your happiness means the world to me," Carlisle pledged.

"I'm so sorry you found out this way. I really wanted Esme to be there for you so you wouldn't take it badly."

Carlisle forced a smile. "Sunshine, I would have taken it badly no matter what. Or who." He got to his feet and faced Edward. "I'm sorry things got so heated between us."

"Bella's worth fighting for." Edward held out his hand and after a brief hesitation Carlisle shook with him.

"Should I still plan on telling Esme alone tonight?" Bella asked. "Or should we invite her over so the three of us can tell her together?"

Carlisle's forehead creased. "Don't you think you should be talking to your parents?"

"Absolutely," Bella agreed. "But I was hoping to have the support of my god-parents when I did it."

"Don't you mean when _we_ do it?" Edward questioned.

"While I'd love you to be there, I have a better chance of getting my mother to listen to me if she doesn't know who I'm talking about until she's already fallen for him."

"No, we're not doing that. We're not going to be deceitful that way," Edward argued.

Carlisle jumped in to agree with Bella. "It's your only choice with Renee. I've known her for nearly thirty years and while she is a lovely woman with a loving heart, she's incredibly stubborn and quick to judge."

Edward's phone began to ring and he fished it out of his pocket. "It's Esme. She's probably calling to make sure you delivered the clock."

"Well don't keep the lady waiting," Carlisle urged. "And invite her to dinner here tonight. It's best she hear from both of you together."

Edward stepped away to answer the call and Carlisle took a seat on the sofa. "This is certainly not how I pictured this day going."

"Are you angry with me?"

He patted the cushion next to him and once Bella sat down, he took hold of her hand. "It's not anger. It's worry. I love you as if you were my own daughter and your happiness is paramount to my own. The hardships Esme and I faced together … I simply wanted better for you."

"Easier is rarely better," she pointed out.

"I suppose you're right. It certainly would have been easier for Edward to admit the truth about that silly overpriced car but he believed it was better to protect his partner."

"You judged him as a good man and you weren't wrong, Carlisle."

Rather than saying anything aloud, Carlisle hugged Bella to him and held her tight.

"How do you think Esme will react?"

"Far better than me. She doesn't see the freckled face little girl in pigtails the way that I do. She also has a soft spot for Edward which will most likely earn him the chance to explain before she says anything. Esme will probably look at you two and immediately see what I tried vehemently to refute … You love each other."

'**************************************'

Bella smiled over the top of her champagne flute. "Honeymoon champagne in our honeymoon bed with our honeymoon chocolate covered strawberries with honeymoon whipped cream."

Edward laughed. "I'm pretty sure there is a limit on how many times you can use 'honeymoon' in a single sentence and you just passed it."

"And now we have honeymoon mocking."

He pressed his glass against hers. "To us. Two years, five months, and countless arguments with your mother later, we are finally married." They clinked their glasses together, took a sip of their drinks, and then shared a sweet kiss.

"You taste almost as good as these strawberries," she told him. She reached for another of the chocolate covered delights and asked, "Do you remember the strawberry tart at my mother's dinner?"

"Remember it? I _wore_ it."

She couldn't help giggling. "I'd never seen my mother enraged enough to throw food. I kept expecting her head to start spinning like that one chick from that one movie."

"We agreed never to speak of that movie," he warned her. He also dove in and bit off a big chunk of her strawberry.

After fending him off with her elbow she told him, "Vaguely referring to it is not speaking of it."

"Semantics."

Bella reached for his hand and with complete sincerity said, "You've handled everything that's been thrown at us so well—my mother, grad school, my job search. I know you wanted us to be married long before now and I want you to know I appreciate your sacrifices so much."

"I got exactly what I wanted. I just had to wait a little longer."

"Still not disappointed?" she asked, loving any reason to use the very first inside joke they'd shared together.

He answered with a kiss that left her hungry for something other than strawberries and champagne.

"Before I forget again, which is likely to happen with mixing your kisses and bubbly, I have it on good authority that you no longer have to wait for Renee to finally fully forgive you for falling in love with me. I overheard Esme and Renee tonight when I was changing to leave from the reception. It seems my mom was calling you her son-in-law weeks before the wedding. Esme thinks my mom only forgave you because she knows you'll give her gorgeous grandbabies. Renee did not deny it either."

"Please tell me she won't be one of those mother-in-laws who asks when we'll get pregnant every time she sees us."

"I could tell you that, sure, but it wouldn't be true."

"You know what, this is our honeymoon and from this point forward I am declaring it a Renee-free zone. We will not think about your mom, or talk about her, starting now and continuing for the next six days."

"Let me make sure I have this straight … The wedding planning is completely behind us and there is an embargo on Renee talk. What oh what will we do with all of our free time?"

Edward reached across the bed and grabbed the whipped cream can. "I've got this can of whipped cream and a head full of ideas on ways to enjoy it. That'll at least get us through the first few hours."

"I love the way you think." She set her glass on the nightstand and pulled him toward her, excited and thrilled that they could finally love each other as husband and wife.

THE END

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